Treatment comb



g- 26, 1969 M. MCCULLOUGH 3,463,170

TREATMENT COMB Filed Oct. 25. 1968 IN X-"ENTOR MARJORIE Mt CULLOUGH v MUM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,463,170 TREATMENT COMB Marjorie McCullough, 258 Wadsworth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10033 Filed Oct. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 770,567 Int. Cl. A45d 24/22 US. Cl. 132-113 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A treating comb adapted to apply treating solutions in selected quantities to the scalp or hair of the user having a handle and body portion, with bristles and hollow teeth depending from the body portion and a reservoir in the body portion for containing the hair treatment fluid, said fluid being actuated for application by means of a pressure plate movably mounted in the reservoir, said pressure plate being moved by pressure applied on the body portion of the comb.

Background of the invention The present invention relates generally to a hair treatment comb adapted for applying treating solutions to the hair and particularly to such a device in which the treatment solution may be equally applied through the bristles thereof.

Although a number of hair treating devices have been proposed for use with a treating solution they have generally been of the electrically driven type in which it is necessary to utilize electrical energy, and also have been of a type in which the supply has been situated in the handle of the comb making it bulky and difiicult to handle. In addition, due to the structures of the prior art devices there is no assurance that the hollow teeth through which the treating solutions pass will be equally dispensed from each one thereby having the difficulty of over-applying the treating solutions to the hair and scalp in certain areas while an insufficient amount is applied in others. These, and many other devices offered to the public intended for uniform application of treating solutions have failed to give complete satisfaction. In general, they tend to feed the solution either too rapidly or too slowly, or to deliver it unevenly or they may be subject to still other disadvantages.

Objectives of the invention An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved comb combination for treatment of the hair.

Another object of the present invention is a comb structure that permits the application of a hair treatment solution or the like to the hair evenly and in predetermined measured amount.

Another object of the present invention is to permit the user to manually control the rate of flow of the quantity of the treating solution being applied.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a comb structure in which capsules of prepackaged hair treating solutions may be placed therein and dispensed therefrom.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds.

Brief description of the drawings Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself, and the manner in which it may be made and used, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which: J

FIG. 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the structure of the comb device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, looking in direction of line 2-2 on FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG, 1, showing another form of the present invention.

Description of preferred embodiments of the invention The form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a hair treatment comb indicated generally by the reference character 10 which includes a body portion 12 having a handle 14 at one end adapted to be held in place by the user 16 and a treatment fluid receiving chamber means or reservoir 18 formed in the body portion 12 as defined by the bottom wall 20 substantially vertical side walls 22 and 24, and end walls 26 and 28 to form the open end 30 of the chamber 18 extending from the top surface 31 of the body portion 12. The chamber 18 is adapted to receive any desired treating solution 32, such as hair tint, bleach, lotion, hair setting solution or the like which may be introduced into contact with the hair and then almost concomitantly distributed into a uniform contact with the hair at the point of application by a general wrist turning and stroking motion as required.

Applicating means Applicating means 34 is provided in order to apply the treating solution 32 contained in the chamber 18 to the hair or scalp of the user, and may include a plurality of open ended teeth 36 extending from the bottom wall 20 of the body portion 12 and having an axially extending aperture or passageway 38 in communicating relationship from its end 40 to the reservoir 18. As seen in FIG. 2, the hollow tubular teeth 36 extend in longitudinal and transverse rows in spaced apart relationship to each other.

In addition a plurality of rigid bristles 42 also extend from the bottom wall 20 of the body portion 12 and at substantially right angle thereto and terminate in a rounded tip 44 and which bristles 42 are longer in length than the open end teeth 36. The body portion 12, teeth 36 and bristles 42 may be injection molded or otherwise integrally formed of synthetic material such as nylon or the like plastic, or if desired may be manufactured of the same or different plastic and metallic parts and assembled together.

"Closure and sealing means Closure means 46 is provided to close off the chamber 18 and includes a cover 48 of resilient flexible material such that it may be deformed by the pressure applied by the finger of the user for reasons hereafter described. The cover 48 includes a flexible membrane central portion 55) terminating in a peripheral skirt 52 integrally formed therewith. The cover 48 may be removably secured to the body portion 12 in a number of conventional ways such that it closes off the opening 30 in the body portion 12. For certain treating fluids, depending on the viscosity and the method of dispensing same from the chamber it has been found desirable to provide sealing means 55 between the closure means 46 and the body portion 12 to prevent the escape of the treating solution from therebetween. Extending from the underside surface 54 of the cover at the peripheral skirt 52 is a continuous sealing bead adapted to be seated in a peripheral groove 58 extending around the body portion 12 and terminating in its top surface 31. The fit between the peripheral bead 56 and mating groove 58 is such as to provide snap fit engagement and facilitate removal of the closure means 46 when the chamber 18 has to be supplied with additional treating solution 32 and reclosed when refilled.

Pressure applying and mounting means The construction of the present invention permits the equal distribution of the treating solution 32 through the passageways 38 of each of the respective teeth 36 such that when pressure is applied by the user through the closure means 46 an equal quantity flows from the end portions 40 of each tooth 36. It is most desirable to be able to manually control the rate of flow of the treating solution 32 and be assured that equal amounts are dispensed from the respective teeth 36. For example, if a hair bleach is applied by equal application to all parts of the hair, this results in an even coloring and a professional looking treatment. To obtain the equal distribution pressure applying means 59 is provided and may include a pressure plate 60 that extends across the entire open end 30 and within chamber 18 such that the treating solution 32 contained therein has a static force applied thereto of equal force to assure equal distribution through the respective passageways 38.

Mounting means 61 is provided for mounting the pressure plate 60 to assure horizontal alignment and maintaining of equal pressure. One form of such mounting means 61 is illustrated in FIG. 2, in which a dovetail vertical groove 62 is provided in the end walls 26 and 28 and mating dovetail lip 64 is provided at their respective ends of the pressure plate 60. In this way as the membrane portion 50 of the closure means 46 is depressed the vertical height of the pressure pl ite 60 continues to diminish until the bottom wall 20 is reached and at the time the reservoir 18 has to be replenished. To refill the chamber 18 the closure means 46 is removed and very easily a new supply of treating solution 32 is placed therein. Since the treating solution is generally very viscous it will not flow out through the apertures 38 in the teeth 36 unless the pressure is applied thereto but, if it is not of a very heavy viscous material then an adapter may be supplied (not shown) on which the comb rests during the filling operation and thereafter it may be immediately used.

Another embodiment FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention which is quite similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, except that cutting means 66 is provided within the reservoir 18 such that the treating solution 32 may be contained within capsule means 68 which may be in the form of a predispensed package having a wall 70 which is frangible such that it is pierced by annular cutting blades 72 extending within the chamber 18 from the bottom wall 20 and each containing a cutting edge 74. As shown the annular cutting blades 72 are in coaxial alignment with the passageways 38 of the teeth 36.

In practice the capsule means 68 is inserted within the reservoir 18 when the closure means 46 and pressure applying means 59 are removed. When assembled as shown a static force is continually applied by the pressural contact of the pressure plate 60 as it is forced downwardly by the finger of the user 16 as the closure means 46 is deflected in the direction of arrows 76 such that the cutting edges 74 pierce the capsule wall 70 and the treating fluid 32 is free to flow out therefrom. The obvious advantage of this type of construction is that the particular dispensing fluid may be prepackaged and available in combination with the comb for use in the home by the user for various purposes such that the comb is run through the hair and the solid bristles 42 engage either the hair or the scalp and the treating solution 32 is ejected in the direction of the arrows 78. In this manner a variety of treating solutions may be prepackaged and sold for use.

Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A hair treatment comb, comprising:

(A) a body portion having a handle at one end thereof, and means defining a chamber for containing a treating fluid in said body portion,

(B) applicating means extending from said body portion and including a plurality of teeth having passageways in communicating relationship with said chamber for dispensing said treating fluid therefrom,

(C) pressure applying means positioned in said chamber for engaging the treating fluid to obtain controlled-dispensing of it from said chamber through said passageways, said pressure applying means including a pressure plate mounted across the open end of said chamber,

(D) means for mounting said pressure plate relative to said chamber means to permit vertical displacement thereof, wherein said mounting means includes mating portions in said chamber and on said pressure plate for vertical movement of said pressure plate within said chamber,

(E) closure means for closing the open end of said chamber, said closure means including a flexible portion adapted to be depressed into said chamber means for engagement with said applicating means for controlled dispensing of said treating fluid, and

(F) sealing means extending between said closure means and said body portion to prevent the escape of treating fluid from said chamber.

2. A hair treatment comb as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes a vertically extending groove at opposite ends of said chamber means, and said pressure plate includes mating lips at each end thereof for movement within said groove.

3. A hair treatment comb as defined in claim 1, and further including cutting means contained in said chamber to pierce a capsule containing the treating solution when positioned therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,449,096 3/ 1923 Grieten 132114 1,870,641 8/1932 Noyes 132113 1,876,033 9/1932 Starr 1321 13 2,571,205 10/1951 Cosby 132112 2,922,425 1/1960 Lerner et a1. 132112 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner JAMES W. MITCHELL, Assistant Examiner 

